The present invention relates to image replacement documents, and is particularly directed to a method of creating an image replacement document for use in a check truncation environment and an apparatus therefor.
In a check truncation environment, an original check is not transferred between banks during the check clearing process. Instead, electronic image data which is representative of an image of an original check is transferred between the banks. When a paper version of the original check is needed, it may be printed on demand using the electronic image and related data which is representative of the original check. This paper version is called an image replacement document (IRD).
The creation of an IRD for use in a check truncation environment is defined by American National Standards Institute (ANSI) X9.90 standard. This standard defines the content of an IRD using the front and back images of an original check and data associated with the check. Currently, institutions having a need to print IRDs usually use some type of laser printer which uses ink with magnetic properties (i.e., magnetic ink). Magnetic ink is needed for printing the magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) codeline of the original check onto the IRD. In these known IRD printing applications, the entire IRD is printed with magnetic ink. Magnetic ink costs more than non-magnetic ink. Accordingly, a disadvantage in using magnetic ink to print the entire IRD is that there is a relatively higher material cost since more magnetic ink is used as compared to if only the MICR codeline of the IRD was printed with magnetic ink.
One way to reduce the amount of magnetic ink used to print an IRD is to perform two printing passes. During one printing pass, magnetic ink is used to print the MICR codeline on the IRD. During the other printing pass, non-magnetic ink is used to print all information other than the MICR codeline on the IRD. However, when a two-pass printing process is used to print an IRD, problems may result from mis-assignment of print data. Mis-assignment of print data occurs when print data corresponding to information to be printed with magnetic ink and print data corresponding to information to be printed with non-magnetic ink are not associated with the same IRD to be created. Also, there is a relatively higher labor cost when a two-pass printing process is used since additional labor is needed to accommodate the two-pass printing process. It would be desirable to be able to print an IRD with reduced labor cost as well as reduced material cost.